MODEL DEVELOPMENT AND VERIFICATION OF A 1,350°C AIR RECEIVER TEST SYSTEM

Armijo, Kenneth Miguel [Sandia National Laboratory]; Overacker, Aaron Alfred Herandez [Sandia National Laboratory]; Harper, Haden Peter Loyd [Sandia National Laboratory]; Sarrafi-Nour, Reza [GE Aerospace Research]; Shiang, Joseph [GE Aerospace Research]; Cavallaro, Stephanie [GE Aerospace Research]

DOE OSTI · 3378174

MODEL DEVELOPMENT AND VERIFICATION OF A 1,350°C AIR RECEIVER TEST SYSTEM

Armijo, Kenneth Miguel [Sandia National Laboratory]·Overacker, Aaron Alfred Herandez [Sandia National Laboratory]·Harper, Haden Peter Loyd [Sandia National Laboratory]·Sarrafi-Nour, Reza [GE Aerospace Research]·Shiang, Joseph [GE Aerospace Research]·Cavallaro, Stephanie [GE Aerospace Research]

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Abstract

Open-loop volumetric receivers work with air at atmospheric pressure and are suitable for single-cycle or multicycle power plants. A novel additively manufactured (AM) silicon carbide (SiC), ceramic matrix composite (CMC) volumetric receiver was developed that consisted of a lattice structure, which absorbs solar radiation and converts it into heat energy. Heat energy from the porous receiver was transferred to heated ambient air. The receiver acted as a convective heat exchanger, transferring heat to the fluid through convection. Engineering was facilitated to develop a high-temperature air receiver test bed at Sandia national Laboratories (SNL) capable of demonstrating a 50kWth open-loop volumetric SiC air receiver module developed by General Electric Aerospace Research (GE Aerospace). This paper presents the development of the high temperature AM SiC-CMC air receiver, the test bed, and the first testing operations of this device, which was experimentally demonstrated to achieve 1,350°C for over 3.5 hours of operation, based on input flux levels of 67–91 W/cm2 0.5-2.5 kg/s flow rates. From the test campaign results, based on the measured convective heat transfer to the airflow and bounded radiative-loss assumptions, the solar-thermal efficiency of HOTSSTAR test module was estimated to be approximately as high as 74% for representative test conditions.

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14 SOLAR ENERGY 32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION 42 ENGINEERING Concentrating Solar Thermal Receiver, CST, SiC, high temperature, solar testing, SiC receiver assembly, performance evaluations, thermal efficiency, solar efficiency

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Armijo, Kenneth Miguel [Sandia National Laboratory], Overacker, Aaron Alfred Herandez [Sandia National Laboratory], Harper, Haden Peter Loyd [Sandia National Laboratory], Sarrafi-Nour, Reza [GE Aerospace Research], Shiang, Joseph [GE Aerospace Research], Cavallaro, Stephanie [GE Aerospace Research]. 2026-07-30. MODEL DEVELOPMENT AND VERIFICATION OF A 1,350°C AIR RECEIVER TEST SYSTEM. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/3378174

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